The Schmooze lies at the intersection of high and low culture. Here, the latest developments and trends in Jewish art, books, dance, film, music, media, television and theater are all assimilated into one handy pop culture blog.
The Schmooze
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Ladies and Gentlemen, Introducing Miss Israel
(JTA) — Avigail Alfatov eats her pizza upside down and has funny hiccups. Her favorite food is falafel and she makes her face shine by wiping it with green tea bags. How do we know this and, perhaps more important, why do we care? Well, Alfatov is the reigning Miss Israel and is the country’s entry…
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The Brooklyn Nets Just Had an Epic Hebrew Fail
Oy. The Brooklyn Nets may have had the best of intentions, but this is an epic #HebrewFail. The Nets wanted to print a shirt that says “Represent Brooklyn”, which even when spelled correctly, sounds weird when translated to Hebrew: ״מייצג את ברוקלין״ (Brooklyn, Meyatzeg). Any female fan would need a different shirt, since the third…
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‘Serial’ is Back – and It’s a Hanukkah Miracle
Best. Hanukkah. Present. Ever. The long wait is over: “Serial” has returned, just in time for the 5th night of Hanukkah. And it had me dancing and spinning around like a dreidel. RELATED: Sarah Koenig Makes this Year’s Forward 50 Welcome back, long break room conversations, arguments with co-workers and grating week-long waits for the…
The Latest
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‘The Daily Show’ Explains Why Donald Trump is Really Jewish
Dear Republican Presidential candidates, Netflix and chilling to “Schindler’s List” won’t appeal to Jewish voters — they’re much too sophisticated for that. In a hilarious bit, “Daily Show” senior Jewish correspondent Adam Lowitt replayed the most awkward moments from the candidates’ address to the Republican Jewish Coalition and explained which American minority the Republicans actually…
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Texas Synagogue Creates 16-Foot Lego Menorah
“It was like, 45,000 Legos,” said Mike Lavi, estimating the number of pieces making up the 16-foot, 3-inches tall Lego menorah currently on display at Fort Worth’s Congregation Ahavath Sholom. Lavi, who designed the menorah, provided that estimate in a video produced by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram showing highlights of the menorah’s assembly. After Ahavath…
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Borat is Back, Warns US and A of New Jewish Propaganda
Yakshemash! World renowned Kazakhstani culture reporter and discotheque aficionado Borat Sagdiyev went on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on Wednesday night to warn the U, S and A of yet another terrible Jewish propaganda movie by Sacha Baron Cohen. View post on imgur.com As the “Jews are home counting their chocolate monies” during Hanukkah, Sagdiyev warned Kimmel…
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Barack Obama’s Favorite Book of 2015 is by Lauren Groff
'Fates and Furies' gets his stamp of approval
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Wolf Blitzer Remembers Holocaust Survivor Parents at Yad Vashem Dinner
“I feel as if I grew up with you” Wolf Blitzer, CNN’s lead political anchor told the 500 guests at The American and International Societies for Yad Vashem 70th Tribute Dinner at The Pierre. “My parents were Holocaust survivors. You were eyewitnesses to horrors and [those] who are still with us are very special people….
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Justin Trudeau Lights Menorah, Melts Our Hearts
Say what you will about Justin Trudeau — he looks damn good in a kippah. The new Canadian prime minister stopped by the Liberal Party headquarters in Ottawa to light the Hanukkah candles on Tuesday. In true Canadian fashion, he posted a video to with an accompanying bilingual message. “Stopped by Liberal HQ to light…
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Abigail Breslin to Star in ‘Dirty Dancing’ Musical
“Dirty Dancing,” the hit 1987 film about a Jewish college student on vacation at a heavily Jewish Catskills resort, will be adapted into a TV musical. Abigail Breslin will start in the taped musical, which will air on ABC and be written by Jessica Sharzer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Allison Shearmur Productions and Eleanor…
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Ben Smith Gives Buzzfeed the OK to Call Donald Trump a Racist
Buzzfeed editor-in-chief has spoken: calling Donald Trump a racist is no longer a breach of journalistic integrity. In a memo sent out on Tuesday, Smith told his staff that they are henceforth permitted to refer to Donald Trump as racist — as fact, rather than opinion — on social media. According to Politico, the memo was…
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Opinion I survived the Tree of Life shooting. Oct. 7 made the memory more painful
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Fast Forward Trump said Hitler did ‘good things’ — he’s not the only one who thinks that
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Fast Forward Every time Donald Trump has invoked Hitler and the Nazis
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Fast Forward UCLA allowed antisemitism to fester amid pro-Palestinian protests, report says
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